The Amazing Muhlenbergs of Pennsylvania
Generations of preachers, patriots and politicians who made an impact on Early America
To identify the great leaders of our country, you need only walk through the national Capitol's Statuary Hall. You'll see George Washington, Sam Adams, Andrew Jackson, and Daniel Webster. Each state has two statues representing their people. One of Pennsylvania's representatives is the well-known Thomas Edison. Standing nearby is the statute of a tall, commanding figure wearing the clerical robes of a Lutheran minister. At first, you may wonder what Peter Muhlenberg, minister of a small country church, could have done to merit this place in America's national hall of fame. But draw a bit closer and you will see the answer. Clerical robes drawn aside, Muhlenberg proudly wears the uniform of an American Revolutionary army colonel.
America in 1776
If you could travel back to the America of 1776, you would find much turmoil and political unrest. Although America would soon win independence from England, there were widely varied opinions regarding its obligation to England. Just the year before, Patrick Henry had given his stirring speech, ending with the rousing cry, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" Undoubtedly though, there were others, devout followers of Christ, who preached from Romans 13 and argued that the Bible stood in direct conflict with the American Revolution. However, 29-year-old Peter Muhlenberg was not one of them. He was an American patriot who was not afraid to express his beliefs.
Now Is the Time to Fight!
Because of this, he had been warned by both his superiors and members of his congregation that to share his views from the pulpit would most likely cost him his ministry. Ignoring these threats, Peter knew what he needed to do. He entered the pulpit on January 15 to preach a message unlike any he had ever preached. Taking a deep breath, he began his sermon on Ecclesiastes 3:1. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven." You've probably heard messages on this text before and might be wondering what made this message so unique. The difference was not in its beginning, but in its ending. After preaching for only an hour and a quarter (short for those days), Peter declared, "The Bible tells us that there is a time for all things. There is a time to preach, a time to pray, but the time for me to preach has passed away." Then stepping out from behind the pulpit, he threw off his clerical robes, revealing the bright blue uniform of an army colonel. His voice rang throughout the sanctuary, needing no amplification. "There is a time to fight, and that time has now come!"
Peter then enlisted around 300 men of his congregation in his "German Regiment," the 8th Virginia continental militia. Rising to a major general under George Washington, he led his men valiantly in the battles of Morristown, Brandywine, and Monmouth Court House.
After the war, Peter did not return to the ministry. When Benjamin Franklin became Pennsylvania's president, Peter was elected vice-president in1785. In this capacity, he worked for his state's early ratification of the federal Constitution. He and his younger brother, Frederick, were both elected to the first Congress of 1789-1791, and Frederick was elected first Speaker of the House of Representatives.
John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg died on his 61st birthday, October 1, 1807, after a long life of service to his country. The inscription on his tombstone reads, "He was Brave in the field, Faithful in the Cabinet, Honorable in all his transactions, a Sincere Friend and an Honest Man."
Henry M. Muhlenberg: The Influence of a Godly Father
Clearly, the Muhlenberg brothers occupy an important place in American history. In Psalm 127:5, children are described as the arrows sent forth by the hand of a great man. If Peter, Frederick, and Henry were the arrows, what kind of man was their father?
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (1711-1787), like his sons, graduated from Germany's University of Halle. He and his sons were influenced by the Pietist tradition, living the Gospel as well as preaching it. Around 1735, German Lutherans began arriving in Pennsylvania in large numbers. They wrote back to Europe asking that pastors be sent to America, a country "full of heresy and sects...in a state of greatest destitution." In response, Henry M. Muhlenberg was sent to America in 1742.
After a rough Atlantic crossing, Henry arrived in South Carolina. Continuing north to Philadelphia, he immediately set to work building up the Lutheran churches in the area, traveling extensively between the Hudson and Potomac rivers. Eventually, he became known as "The Father of American Lutheranism," drawing together Lutheran churches in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In 1748, he organized the Pennsylvania Ministerium as the governing body of American Lutheranism. Breaking away from old country divisions regarding liturgy, sacraments, and hymns, he developed a distinctly American Lutheran liturgy and hymnal.
The Legacy of a Faithful Man
Scripture tells us that a good man leaves an inheritance not only to his children but also to his children's children (Proverbs 13:22). What sort of legacy did the grand old patriarch of the Muhlenbergs leave to future generations? History reveals that generations of godly descendants followed in the footsteps of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg.
Henry August Philip Muhlenberg (1782-1844) was a Lutheran clergyman, secretary and president of the Pennsylvania Ministerium, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for ten years, and American Minister to Austria. Frederick Augustus Hall Muhlenberg (1795-1867) was a doctor and banker in Lancaster, PA, and a pupil of Benjamin Rush, one of America's founding fathers and a signer of the Constitution. His son, Frederick August Muhlenberg (1818-1901) was a Lutheran minister who also taught Greek in five Pennsylvania colleges. He became the first president of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania,which is still in operation today. Frederick's grandson, William Augustus Muhlenberg (1796-1877), an Episcopal clergyman, founded St. Paul's College in 1838. In 1846, he built the Church of the Holy Communion and established St. Luke's Hospital in New York.
The life of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the Father of American Lutheranism, reminds us of the words of Proverbs 20:7: "The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him."
Frederick Muhlenberg: Pastor and Politician
Peter's brother, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg (1750-1801), followed in his older brother's footsteps. Like Peter, he was educated at the German University of Halle and ordained as a Lutheran minister. However, Frederick was opposed to clergymen becoming soldiers and stated his position in a forceful letter to Peter in 1775. He remained in ministry during the Revolutionary War, choosing not to follow Peter's example in joining the colonial militia.
Frederick ministered in several churches before pastoring New York City's Christ's Church. However, in 1779, he was elected to the Continental Congress. The following year, he was elected to Pennsylvania's General Assembly where he served as Speaker until 1783. He also presided over the Pennsylvania convention called to ratify the federal Constitution in 1787 and was elected to the First Congress the following year. Once again, he found himself working beside his brother Peter, who was also elected to Congress that year. Frederick served as Speaker for the First and Third Congresses. As chairman of the House, he cast the deciding vote for the ratification of John Jay's famous treaty with England, making peace with England and helping to prevent another war. Frederick died just a few years later, in 1801.
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg on George Washington
Trappe, Pennsylvania, May 7, 1778. "I heard a fine example today, namely, that His Excellency General Washington rode around among his army yesterday and admonished each and every one to fear God, to put away the wickedness that has set in and become so general, and to practice the Christian virtues. From all appearances this gentleman does not belong to the so-called world of society, for he respects God's Word, believes in the atonement through Christ, and bears himself in humility and gentleness. Therefore the Lord God has also singularly, yea, marvelously, preserved him from harm in the midst of countless perils, ambuscades, fatigues, etc. and has hitherto graciously held him in his hand as a chosen vessel."
But wait--there's still another famous Muhlenberg brother!
We're not through with the story of the famous Muhlenberg brothers yet! Gotthilf Henry Ernest Muhlenberg (1753-1815) also studied at Germany's Halle University, where his father and brothers received their education. During his six years there, he mastered Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and French. He was ordained with his older brother, Frederick, in 1770. Unlike his brothers, however, Henry remained a minister, pastoring Holy Trinity Church in Lancaster, PA, for 35 years until his death. He was also president of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania for 15 years.
However, his ministerial duties did not stop Henry from using his talent and godly influence in other directions. He became an internationally recognized botanist, classifying plants and exchanging specimens with scientists throughout Europe. In 1791, he cataloged more than 1,100 plants growing in the Lancaster area and discovered more than 100 plants in America that had never been classified. He also studied the commercial and medicinal uses of plants. Between 1787 and 1813 he published more than 20 botanical articles. In 1787, he became the first president of Franklin and Marshall College, an institution still in operation in Lancaster today.
Originally published June 11, 2010.
